Reconfigurable transmitter with direct digital to RF modulator

Abstract

An RF transmitter uses two digital-to-RF conversion modules to convert digital baseband signals into RF signals. In Cartesian mode, baseband signals are conveyed to the conversion modules for RF conversion. In polar mode, baseband signals are converted into amplitude and phase data parts. Phase data part is converted into I and Q data parts to be converted by the conversion modules into RF signals, which are modulated in a power amplifier by amplitude data part through the power supply of the power amplifier. Each digital-to-RF module uses parallel unit cells to perform D / A conversion function and upconversion function by an IF signal. Each unit cell, adapted to receive a control voltage indicative of a data signal value, is a mixer cell type converter having a differential data switch section connected in series to a differential LO-switch pair. LO-switch is further connected in series to a current source.

Description

[0001] This is a Continuation-In-Part application of and claiming priority to co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 10 / 717,986, filed Nov. 20, 2003; and Ser. No. 10 / 988,202, filed Nov. 12, 2004, assigned to the assignee of the instant application. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] The present invention is related to patent application Attorney Docket No. 944-003-290, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, filed even date herewith.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates generally to a RF transmitter and, more particularly, to a re-configurable transmitter with a digital-to-RF converter. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] In radio communication applications the designs are continuously aiming for simpler and cheaper radio architectures to increase integration level of the mobile terminals. Conventionally, a direct upconversion transmitter has at least an I / Q modulator, an RF mixer, a filter and a power amplifier. The I / Q modulator is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0030] The present invention uses two digital to RF-conversion modules to convert digital baseband signals into RF signals. The digital-to-RF conversion module combines the D/A conversion function and the upconversion function by a RF-carrier or IF-signal. The module comprises a plurality of parallel unit cell

Problems solved by technology

These non-linear power amplifiers, however, cannot pass amplitude modulation without spectral re-growth.

Fundamental problems associated with the direct upconversion transmitter using an I / Q modulator are: High-power consumption in the I / Q Modulator block; Non-ideal performance in the analog components within the I / Q modulator, such as non-linearity of the baseband amplifiers, carrier feed-through due to mismatch effects; Bandwidth limited by analog baseband circuits; and Large die area required for integrating all functions.

The D / A converters and I / Q modulators are complex and high performance analog elements.

The requirement of these analog elements generally limits the flexibility of the RF transmitter.

One of the major problems associated with D / A converters for use in RF generation is the high sampling frequency.

A D / A converter with such a high sampling frequency is impractical to implement because of the high price and high power consumption.

These I / Q mixers consume easily tens of milliamperes of DC currents.

Moreover, even when the D / A converters are used in the baseband and in the IF range, the noise current spikes occur because of the high data rate of hundreds of megahertz.

These noise spikes can limit the performance of the RF transmitter.

As such, the performance of the circuit is low due to a slow settling of the current in the current source after switching the current source on.

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